


Coming Home

by Hekate1308



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Child Abuse (mentioned), Gen, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 15:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8995651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: It’s a miracle they have kept up their correspondence, but it is one Dean is thankful for. It’s kept him sane.Through all of Dad’s drinking, the moving, the different schools, through Sam’s hungry cries, he’s always had the letters to cling to.Every time they moved unexpectedly, he sent another, explaining it to Cas so he could reach out to him at the right address again.It's a good thing Cas has never moved. They know exactly where to find him now.





	

It’s a miracle they have kept up their correspondence, but it is one Dean is thankful for. It’s kept him sane.

Through all of Dad’s drinking, the moving, the different schools, through Sam’s hungry cries, he’s always had the letters to cling to.

Every time they moved unexpectedly, he sent another, explaining it to Cas so he could reach out to him at the right address again.

Cas and his family never moved away. They’re still in Lawrence.

They’re still here, on this 22nd of December, when two boys stumble tiredly along the road.

Dean used to think he could take it all, but that horrible night a week ago was the last straw.

_Dad hit Sam._

Dean has grown long accustomed to the punches. But Dad has never – did never hurt Sam. Until that night.

And he just knew he had to get him out of there. And the only place to go –

The house looks like the one he vaguely remembers, the one Mom took him to for play dates with the youngest Novak brother. They swore they’d always be friends in the backyard of this house.

And Cas proved to be exactly the friend he needed, again and again. When things looked bad, there was always the next letter to wait for.

But now, standing in front of the house, he doesn’t feel that being pen pals gives him the right to just barge in shortly before Christmas and ask for help. Sure, Cas’ dad (plus two crazy aunty he regularly mentions in his letters) seem to be pretty chill, but how can he –

He looks at Sam. Sammy, who hasn’t had a decent meal in a week. Opposed to Dean, who can’t be said to have had a real meal in a week.

Yes, he’s doing that. As long as they help his little brother, they can throw him right back into the street.

“Here we are” he says with more confidence than he feels. Sam doesn’t even remember Cas, of course, or their house, or Mom. But he knows about the letters because Dean always lets him right them. Cas even started writing messages for Sam at the bottom a few years back.

He knocks on the door.

He shouldn’t recognize the sixteen-year-old who opens it. They’ve never exchanged pictures. But these blue eyes look just like they did twelve years ago.

“Cas?” he breathes.

The boy stares at him.

He opens his mouth again to introduce himself when he asks, unsure, “Dean?”

He can only nod.

In the next moment, he’s enveloped in a rather strong hug, and Sam giggles next to them.

Just after he finally realizes he should probably reciprocate and hug back, a voice in the house calls out, “Cassie, did you actually get a boyfriend?”

Cas pulls back, blushing furiously.

Dean studies the man who seems to be a few years older than he and Cas. V-neck, cocky grin, expensive jeans.

“Balthazar?” he guesses.

He tilts his head in a pretty good imitation of Cas’ trademark move (he doesn’t even know if he still does that, he realizes. So much time has passed).

“You do look familiar... Wait... I remember those eyes... You’re the Winchester kids, aren’t you? Didn’t you grow up pretty”.

“Cas? Why do you keep the door – oh, hello”.

Cas’ Dad looks pretty much like he remembers. Only that these days, if the books he sees in libraries and stores are to be believed, people actually read his stuff.

(Maybe Dean does now and then too. So he has a thing for fantasy. Sue him.)

“It’s Dean and Sam, Dad.”

“Oh – we – really didn’t expect you. Come in boys, it’s getting cold – “

“Charles, why in Heaven’s name – “

“CHUCK! You better have an explanation for – “

These must be Mr. Novak’s crazy sisters then, Aunt Amara and Aunt Naomi. He can easily guess who is who since Cas wrote that Naomi always wears a pants suit.

She’s also the one to keep her hair invariable in a bun, and the one who advances towards them. For a second, Dean thinks she’ll throw them out.  Instead, she shoos them in and closes the door.

“Much better. Now, you boys obviously need a good meal, fresh clothes and rest. Charles, where are they going to stay? You have the house full of your children, but they can stay at my place – “

“Or mine!” Amara all but shouts happily. “I love making new friends!”

She means well enough, Dean’s sure, but she looks like she wants to eat him, too. Just a little bit. Unconsciously, he moves closer to Cas.

“I think they’re better off here, for the time being” Mr. Novak says. “But you’re right, Naomi. They really need – “

“A shower, first and foremost” she decides, looking them over again.

“Who wants to go first?”

“Dean” Sam immediately pipes up. He glares at him, but the damage is already done.

“Good. Dean, follow me please, I’ll show you the bathroom. Castiel, try and find some clothes. Anything will be too big for Sam, but it’ll do for tonight, and you and Dean are almost the same height.”

He nods. Dean does the same. Naomi seems to be a force to be reckoned with.

“We’ll take care of Sam, won’t we” Amara says, beckoning him towards her.

If there weren’t all those other people around – by now, Michael, the oldest, and Gabriel, the annoying middle kid who pranks everyone, have shown up to – Dean might have his reservations to leave Sam alone with her, but Cas always insists she means well.

Cas.

Even though Naomi told him to get clothes, he accompanies them to the bathroom, squeezing his arm before turning to his room, telling him, “It’ll be alright”.

“I can only agree with my nephew” Naomi tells him after he’s gone. “You haven’t provided us with a reason for your sudden reappearance, but I’ll assume it’s bad.”

He doesn’t answer.

“Then it’s settled. You are staying with one of us” she says with an air of finality. “We’ll talk long-term arrangements later”.

He’s surprised, shocked even, at the welcome he’s received, and when it finally catches up to him in the shower, he starts sobbing right there.

They’re okay. For tonight, and apparently the immediate future, they’re okay.

He has just finished towelling himself dry and has slung the towel around his hips when there’s a knock on the door.

“Thanks, Cas” he says as he takes the clothes. He’s surprised by his friend gently touching his cheek.

“It’ll really be alright, Dean. I promise.”

He hoped the shower would wash away the traces of his embarrassing breakdown.

“I know” he says softly, “Just have trouble believing it”.

“I always knew that – “ Cas breaks off. “There’s food downstairs”.

“Thanks” he says again. He watches Cas go, his heart beating wildly.

So not only has he plucked Sam right out of the life that they were used to, but his suspicions that Cas could mean more to him than a best friend does is proven correct. Wonderful.

Worse still: when he comes downstairs, Sam, who has never had any problems standing up to date, has clearly told them how they came to be here. Naomi looks even more serious, Michael full of righteous anger, Chuck concerned, Amara mumbles something about “wiping him off the face of the earth” and even Balthazar and Gabriel seem to be disturbed.

“I thought it was strange that you moved so often” Cas, who’s suddenly standing in front of Dean again, says quietly, “if I had known – “

“Nothing you could have done, Cas.”

“You’ve met Aunt Naomi” he points out.

That same aunt now calls out, “Bring that poor boy here. He’s been through enough. Time to put some meat on those bones.”

He knows he’s been losing weight for a while now. Money was tight. No one would hire him.

Cas doesn’t leave his side. He’s a warm, comforting presence. Dean can feel exhaustion slowly creeping up on him; soon after he’s cleaned his plate twice, he all but crashes on Cas’ shoulder, and wakes up to Cas ushering him off to bed and Amara telling Sam that it’s quite alright, there’s nothing wrong with him, he just needs rest, sweetie.

“He hates being called sweetie” he mumbles when Cas helps him into –

“Cas, that’s your bed. Can’t take your – bed – “

Talking is kind of difficult when his eyelids are basically made of lead.

Cas runs his fingers through his hair.

“It’s alright, Dean. Just relax”.

He sleeps. He sleeps so long that, when he wakes up, he’s utterly confused where he is, and why there’s a warm body holding him.

Then he realizes it’s Cas. It all comes rushing back.

“Dean?”

“Morning”.

Cas chuckles. “It’s three in the afternoon.”

“What?”

If he remembers correctly, it was around eleven pm when he was put to bed.

“Dad said to let you sleep. Sam’s downstairs, don’t worry.”

“And why are you still here?”

He turns so he can look at Cas. His blue eyes look into his with wonder.

“I thought it was just me” Cas confesses. “That I – looked so much forward to your letters because – “

He stops.

“You feel it too, am I right?”

He takes Cas’ hand.

“Yeah. I do.”

Normally he’d jump right into things after a confession like that, but they’re here to stay and it’s _Cas_. The boy he knows better than anyone and yet doesn’t, because they only ever wrote letters.

“We have time” Cas tells him, apparently understanding him.

Dean will need to convince himself of that.

When they come downstairs, Sam is watching TV with Balthazar and Gabriel.

“Dean! Are you feeling better?”

He nods.

“Just needed some sleep.”

“And a little bit more, but we’ll get to that.”

The adults (if he might call them that, he thinks, looking at Amara and Chuck compared to no-nonsense Naomi) have entered the room.

“It’s good it’s only the twenty-third. You need clothes. And Christmas presents, of course.”

“You don’t have to – “ Dean tries to interfere feebly.

“We want to, Dean” Chuck interrupts him. “You’ve basically been part of the family since you were four. Cas actually learned to write before he went to school so he could answer your letter.”

Dean blushes. That’s why he taught himself, too. He had no idea about punctuation or spelling or grammar, but he needed to keep in contact with Cas.

Maybe some part of him already knew then, he thinks when Cas takes his hand.

No one is surprised, not even Sam.

Cas accompanies them on their shopping trip, too, after Chuck has officially asked them to move in for the time being.

“Sam can stay in Balthazar’s room for the time being, after the break he can have Michael’s. Dean, I believe you want to stay with Cas?”

“Yeah” he answers, pretty sure his face is scarlet.

In the car, Chuck and Naomi driving them with Amara “keeping an eye on the kids”, Dean begins, “I’ll pay you back, I promise. As soon as I get a job – “

“You get a what?”

Naomi turns around in the passenger’s seat.

Dean withers under her strict stare.

“I mean – once I find somebody who hires me – I’m good with cars and I – “

“You’re sixteen.”

“Yes, ma’am”.

“It’s Naomi, and you’re going back to school with Cas”.

“I – I don’t think –“

“It’s not up for debate. You were dealt a bad lot, but I won’t allow it ruining your chances. I have seen your letters. You’re not half as dim-witted as you believe yourself to be.”

And that discussion ends.

He’ll talk to Chuck later, he decides. There’s no reason for him to stay in school. He’s already missed too much.

Despite his well-meant protests, they end up with a car load of clothes, books, movies, games, and batman bed sheets Cas insists on.

This Christmas is the craziest, weirdest, and without a doubt most magical Dean has ever known since their house went up in smoke. He hasn’t smiled that much in ages, and neither has Sammy.

The whole Novak family has decided to adopt them, it seems. Michael has hopped on Naomi’s “You’re going back to school” train, Balthazar and Gabriel have decided to spend their time making Sam laugh, and Cas –

Cas is Dean’s, and Dean is Cas’, that seems to be the general consensus.

After dinner on Christmas Eve (he’s pretty sure he has already put on a few pounds) they find themselves in a corner under the mistletoe. He has no idea who put it there.

Gabriel, probably.

“We don’t have to, Dean. We can take all the time we – “

He gently kisses Cas.

“Yeah. We do. And I’m not saying we won’t go slow – but I mean to hold onto a good thing when it comes my way.”

He’s pretty sure everyone has seen them, but no one comments.

And then someone starts hammering on the door.

“DEAN I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE”.

It’s Dad. How did he find them? He took all of Cas’ letters with him –

But he’s been writing for years. Years for Dad to find the address.

“Oh no he doesn’t” Naomi says through gritted teeth. “Stay here, I’ll – “

And that is when Amara flies off the rails.

Within seconds, she’s thrown open the door and started to yell at Dad.

“THEY BELONG TO US NOW”.

“LADY I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE – “

“I’M THE NEW AUNT OF YOUR FORMER SONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH”.

That... should probably sound much creepier than it does.

But he doesn’t feel scared around Amara, or any of the Novaks.

Like he did around Dad.

Amara continues screaming at Dad, and – it feels right.

Everything is going nuts, and Dean feels _free_ for the first time in years.

Amara ends her tirade with a threat to call the police.

“Don’t think I don’t know about Sam’s bruises. Or what you did to Dean. Farewell, John Winchester. May you burn in Hell.”

She slams the door shut and strolls back into the living room.

“I’m sorry” she apologizes to Sam and Dean. “I didn’t mean to get so loud – “

“It’s alright” he assures her, taking Cas’ hand and kissing his knuckles.

It truly is.

He is celebrating Christmas with his boyfriend, his _family_.

He’s peachy.

**Two years from now**

“Dean!”

Dean can barely get a hold of the giant who propels into him.

“You have to stop growing, bitch.”

“Never, jerk. Hi Cas!”

And Cas is treated to the same enthusiastic greeting.

“How’s college?”

“Couldn’t be better” Dean answers honestly. It’s the truth. His roommate and boyfriend just smiles at him.

Sam groans.

“Can’t you two stop making heart eyes at one another for one second? For the record, Naomi is ready to give you the “I told you so” speech.”

“That’s alright” Dean says, taking Cas’ hand, winking at him.

“I’m freaking prepared”.

It’s Christmas alright.


End file.
